


Blood Thirsty Blood Mage

by thenakednymph



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Platonic Dorian/FemAdaar, because Blackwall said something to my favorite hot house orchid that pissed me off, so this happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-03-31 21:25:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3993418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dorian and Adaar have a conversation in the Underforge at Skyhold about Dorian's Tevinter ways and Blackwall's prejudice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood Thirsty Blood Mage

"He's wrong you know."

Dorian glances up from where he's enchanting amulets to look at Adaar, sitting atop one of the work tables. She has a whetstone in one hand, one of her daggers in the other. 

"Well of course," he said easily, a cheeky smile flickering beneath his mustache. "He always is. But tell me, who is it we're discussing?" 

Adaar huffs a laugh, drawing the edge of her blade slowly down the whetstone and back up, the low grinding filling the silence as her smile fades. 

"Blackwall," she says. "He's wrong about you." She lets her hands settle in her lap for the moment, her eyes on Dorian's back now that he's turned around again.

"How so? Am I not the bloodthirsty Magister he thinks I am?" His tone is light but Adaar isn't joking.

"No," she says firmly, "You're not. And it bothers me he thinks so. You play the part of the callow Magister well," she goes on before he can say anything. "But it's a front. You play the role they expect of you and you don't mind because it keeps people away. You distance yourself from them because it's safer." 

"Don't be ridiculous," he laughs, facing her. "If I wanted to be alone I certainly wouldn't be here." He gestures expansively to the armory of Skyhold but Adaar takes it to mean all of Skyhold, the Inquisition. "I'd be hiding out in the mountains somewhere."

"You are hiding out in the mountains," she points out.

"Yes." He sighs dramatically, one hand resting against the edge of the table, the the in a fist on his hip. "And there's no one to polish my shoes," he laments. 

"But that's not what I meant and you know it." Her eyes catch his and refuse to let go. "You can be in a room full of people Dorian and be completely alone."

"You speak as if you know," he says, his voice soft.

Adaar drops her eyes and returns to sharpening one of the blades. 

"Maybe I do," she says. She huffs and drops her hands again, dismissing her work for the moment. 

"As a Qunari people always expect me to behave a certain way. To try and convert them to the Qun, that I'm terribly violent or even hateful because people see what they want to see, but that doesn't make it true. You heard them at the ball I'm sure. 'Savage' was thrown around quite a lot if I remember correctly." 

Dorian frowns. "Yes, and they didn't even have the decency to say it behind your back." 

"You fake it well," she goes on, "sometimes too well, but deep down you do care; about people, about the Imperium, your home and how far it's fallen. You've told me as much yourself." She shifts on the desk trying to find a more comfortable position. Her mouth quirks into something almost sad. "I know how exhausting it can be to wear a mask, or to try so hard to make people see something they refuse to. Sometime's it's easier to pretend than persuade. To be what they expect. Honesty and lies both have their uses." She tilts her head, trying to cath his attention. "But you don't have to pretend with me if you like. If you ever need a break, I'm here."

It's a moment before he raises his eyes again. Deciding his amulets are finished Dorian gathers them into his hands and looks at her with a smile.

"What, befriend the Qunari?" he asks. "The very race all of Tevinter has spent centuries fighting?" 

There's an amused lilt to his voice and as he says it, as if it's all terribly funny. Maybe it is.

"My father would be horrified." He hums thoughtfully, crossing the space between them to hand her the amulets. "I like it." 

He doesn't have to say who the amulets are for, Adaar already knows they're for their party but he won't pass them out himself. He never does. He gives her a wink before sauntering to the door, leaving Adaar to return to her work. He stops with one hand on the door calling back to her. 

"And Adaar. Thank you." He disappears through the door before she can so much as smile, but it's enough.


End file.
